No public questioning of Covid pandemic chiefs as inquiry invites public to share experiences
Latest |
None of the major figures overseeing the Covid-19 pandemic in Ireland will be questioned in public and no individual will be held accountable, the chair of the pandemic inquiry said today.
Professor Anne Scott was speaking as she launched a nationwide public consultation, inviting individuals, families, workers, carers, communities and businesses to share their experiences of the pandemic.
She said the evaluation will be non-adversarial and non-statutory, and its purpose is to 'learn lessons from the pandemic by examining Ireland's response and impacts across the health and care system, wider society and the economy'.
The consultation is one element of a wider programme of work, according to Prof Scott. Insights gathered will inform the evaluation's final report, which will be a comprehensive, evidence-based analysis to help Ireland prepare more effectively for future emergencies.
'Today we are inviting members of the public to share their experiences of the pandemic. This is the first step in building a clear and honest picture of how Covid-19 was lived and felt by individuals, families and communities throughout Ireland,' Prof Scott said.
'Our goal is to produce a thorough, independent assessment of Ireland's pandemic response. One that reflects real life as well as official records.
'While several reports and analyses have already been produced, there has been no single overview of the full impact of Covid-19 on Irish society.
'By reviewing existing documentation, drawing on international and national research, and engaging directly with key decision makers, we aim to understand what worked and what didn't. It's about learning and making sure Ireland is better prepared for the future.'
Asked about how it will operate, Prof Scott said there will no opening hearings.
Some round-table discussions will be streamed on the inquiry's website.
These could include stakeholder organisations in discussion with the expert panel.
A special module on nursing homes is planned and it is expected a private session in a special venue will involve invitations to people who were bereaved or suffered distress at a time when the pandemic was at its height and serious restrictions were in place.
However, asked if questioning of key figures such as former chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan or former HSE chief Paul Reid will be open to view, Prof Scott said these will all take place in private.
No person will be named in the final report and there will be no accountability.
Prof Scott said she believes the non-statutory nature of the inquiry will lead to more engagement.
She said she has already secured a number of documents from Government departments and other public service agencies.
She can also request cabinet memos and the meetings of cabinet committees.
Prof Scott added that the evaluation is supported by a multidisciplinary panel of national and international experts.
They include Professor David Heymann, a US epidemiologist based in London, and public health experts from the UK.
The others are Dr Nat O'Connor, a lecturer and assistant professor of social policy in UCD, and Professor Bert Gordijn, director of the Institute of Ethics at DCU, and Dr Nora Strecker of UCD's School of Economics.
The consultation is open to all adults across the country. A separate consultation is planned for children.
Individuals can respond through an online survey or written submission. Stakeholder organisations are also invited to contribute formal submissions.
Prof Scott added that the evaluation 'will build a detailed understanding of Ireland's response across the health and care sector, society and the economy'.
It will draw on a wide range of inputs, including requested documentation, research and lived experience, to produce a final report within 12-18 months.
The consultation is now open and will run until 1 July. Individuals and organisations can participate at covid19evaluation.ie/share-your-experience
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
4 hours ago
- Irish Times
Letters to the Editor, June 11th: On hospital consultants, gender issues and book censorship
Sir, – Paediatricians are perceived as the kinder and less worldly members of the medical profession. That they have developed a toxic work environment for themselves and their nursing and junior medical colleagues is sad and dangerous. Few of their GP colleagues knew or suspected it. As Priscilla Lynch has pointed out (' Children's health crisis will roll on until we have transparency,' June 9th) neither did the Department of Health, the Minister, the NTPF and the HSE know about it until it was reported in the media. Paediatrics in Dublin operates in discrete sites without much recourse to GP or hospital colleagues and where poor professional behaviours can be normalised and kept secret. Paediatrics will now be decanted from three different hospitals with differing traditions, patient bases and cultures on to an expensive new facility. Expecting them to work harmoniously is a highly irresponsible pipe dream. READ MORE The history of hospital mergers in Dublin is an unhappy one with Beaumont and Tallaght taking years to settle. In the business world mergers are commonplace with attendant job threats keeping staff in line with employer expectations. In hospital mergers this does not apply as staff unions will negotiate for all existing staff to keep their jobs, with possibly some dislocation payments as well. This applies to the consultant staff too, meaning that management can't manage. How are managers expected to deal with a few highly unionised, well-paid doctors with track records of bullying junior staff and playing the system. Changing a toxic culture will not be easy. The sites of two of the hospitals being merged on to the new hospital may soon be up for sale in a rampant property market. It is not clear who will be the beneficiaries. A proportion of the proceeds of such sales needs to be earmarked to allow management of those who are burnt out, those wishing early retirement and those who do not embrace the unrivalled opportunities the new facility offers. Funding of multidisciplinary ethics and professional seminars are needed to develop an ethos to make a success of the new hospital. This is after all a professional issue where respect for colleagues, junior and senior, has been damaged. The fiascos of previous mergers would be avoided, and patients will be sure to receive the care they deserve. The introverted and secretive nature of existing paediatric practice needs to be addressed with good open management, adherence to employment contracts and governance that draws on international experience. Yours, etc TOM O'DOWD MD GPs at Tallaght Cross, Dublin. Reporting on gender issues Sir, – I was delighted to see Hugh Linehan's article asking some long overdue soul-searching questions about Irish media's reticence on covering gender issues (' Why is there so little coverage of gender identity issues in the Irish media ?' June 10th) and highlighting the shameful quiet cancelling of Stella O'Malley. Throughout that difficult period Stella was helping hundreds of families in Ireland and around the world through Genspect, the Irish based organisation she founded. These families were desperately trying to support loved ones experiencing gender dysphoria, but had been devastated by ideological capture among mental health and medical professionals. As a psychotherapist watching this happen within her profession Stella spoke up and did something when she thought people were being harmed, the same way others have bravely spoken up in the past. I hope now the tide seems to be turning away from loud activist voices and towards the evidence on gender issues that Irish media gets back to basics reporting the facts even when the facts aren't popular. – Yours, etc, LOUISE WHELAN, Greystones, Co Wicklow. Sir, – Why is Hugh Linehan's article on the lack of coverage of gender identity issues hidden in the Business section? – Yours, etc, DR JOHN DOHERTY, Gweedore, Co Donegal. Sir, –Congratulations on Hugh Linehan's long overdue article on the topic of gender identity and the silence of the Irish media. This refusal to cover the issue of gender identity in Irish society and all its implications is shameful and reflects the worst type of censorship – self censorship. The boycotting and failure to cover anything that might be construed as gender critical views, authors, news items, women's sports, women's groups, etc., has echoes of the worst excesses of the State censorship in the last century. I now look forward to more coverage and analysis of the issues and developments involved in gender identity theory such as the Cass Report, the banning of puberty blockers, the UK Supreme Court ruling, the attitude of our political parties, etc. JULIA ANDERSON Co Wicklow. Sir, – I was appalled to read Hugh Linehan's description of the Cass Report as 'a years-long, evidence based review of youth gender services led by a respected paediatrician' without any acknowledgement of the controversy and allegations of bias that surround the report, as well as its criticism internationally by many professional bodies, healthcare providers, academics and researchers. Particularly jarring in a piece calling for honesty of discussion, such an omission is, at best, misleading and deeply irresponsible. – Yours, etc, EOGHAN O'SULLIVAN, Dublin. Sir, – Hugh Linehan's article erroneously describes Stella O'Malley as 'an activist with a clear ideological stance'. Providing children and their parents with accurate information about potentially harmful or unnecessary interventions honours the clinician's obligation to act in the patient's best interests and upholds their duty to do no harm. This is not activism, it's ethical practice. If advocating for evidence-based, compassionate care makes one an 'activist', then every parent, doctor, psychotherapist, and indeed every journalist, deserves the badge. And if activism is the measure of a concerned and moral adult, what does it say about those who don't qualify? – Yours, etc, SANDRA ADAMS, Baldoyle, Dublin 13. Gardening leave Sir, – I recently retired from the health sector and I now have a huge interest in gardening. I can work at my own pace. If a plant is in the wrong place I can reposition it or get rid of it altogether. Other plants can be kept in check by a good 'clipping.' I can have great ideas and change them next season if they don't work out. I can ease off in the winter and start afresh in the spring. So if you want job satisfaction gardening is the answer. – Yours, etc, MARY WALSH, Stillorgan, Dublin. Parking and entitlement Sir, – I am lucky enough to live on a residential street in Dublin comprised of terraced housing. Parking is on-street and is essentially a free for all. Our nine-year-old son has a disability and a part of his condition is that he is a flight risk. Some households on our street have up to five cars, parking where they like while choosing to place a cone outside their own residence, thereby preventing others from parking there. We have politely requested that members from a multi-car household avoid parking outside our house if possible. Because of our son's disability. But when I made this request again today after a car had been left outside our door for four days I was informed that because people pay road tax they can park where they like. ''That's how it works,' they said. Yes. Indeed. They said that because there is not an accessible sign painted outside our house they can continue to park there. Also true. Not all disabilities are highly visible. They are not all the same. Although we are entitled to apply for a blue badge, because my son has no mobility issues. we cannot avail of an accessible parking space outside our home. The irony is that he is in danger because he is very mobile. A flight risk. With no sense of personal safety. And he is very fast. I look forward to the day when I do not have to constantly advocate for my son. When outdated bylaws catch up. And when above all the world is a kinder place. Where requests by parents of vulnerable children with additional needs are met with empathy, understanding, consideration and respect. – Yours, etc, REBECCA KEHOE, Dublin 3 Sir, – Brendan Murphy writes about careless parking. (Letters, June 10th). I live in a 1960s house, having purchased it in 1967. My house, like most of the time, had a garage, into which you put your car at night time. There was room on the driveway for the car during the day. However, nowadays, as my generation motor away to the great car park in the sky, our houses are being purchased by families who arrive with several large SUV type cars. The first thing they do is to convert the garage into a room or office. Thus, with their large cars they park one on the driveway and their other cars are parked on the road, one outside their own house, the others outside the houses of our neighbours. While I understand that the roadway is open parking for everyone, this situation quickly escalates to obstructions for those driving past, resulting in zig-zag manoeuvring and braking hard as one tries to drive up or down the road. A further complication is that if two cars park directly opposite each other the road is blocked. I've seen it happen. Believe me, it can only get worse. – Yours, etc, TONY CORCORAN, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14. Censorship and books Sir, – Ray Burke's report ( An Irishman's Diary, June 10th) of President Michael D Higgins's anecdote about being refused a copy of Bertrand Russell's book, Why I Am not a Christian, in the 1960s by the Galway librarian reminded me of my experience in the main library in Waterford when I requested a copy of Lewis Carrolls' Alice in Wonderland in the 1970s. I got the book alright, but not before the librarian had closely questioned me as to why I wanted it. I can only speculate that this was due to the fact that I was a male in his 20s at the time. Surely this was a case of honi soit qui mal y pense? There was rather a lot of that around books at the time. – Yours, etc, Séamus MCKENNA, Maynooth, Co Kildare. Sir, Ray Burke's Irishman's Diary, on book censorship reminded me of a story my former French teacher at St Columb's College in Derry told. He said he was stopped crossing the Border at the Irish Customs post in Aughnacloy when the customs officer spotted a copy of Émile Zola's Germinal sitting on the passenger seat. 'You might want to put that out of view,' said the official tactfully, 'Her books are not allowed here.' – Yours etc, JOE MCLAUGHLIN. Scotland. Trump and the US electorate Sir, – Lest we forget, because of our own focus on the damage he has already caused and the future potential damage to our economic and democratic lifestyle, US president Donald Trump has imposed and continues to inflict as much, if not more, trauma and prejudice on his own US citizens. He had already allowed Elon Musk run riot as de facto head of the 'department of government efficiency,' (Doge). As late as last Friday he asked the US Supreme Court to permit his administration to proceed with dismantling the department of education and now we see his plans to deploy some 700 US Marines (a military force trained to kill) on the streets of Los Angeles in addition to the already deployed National Guard troops. It gives me no pleasure to say so, but hopefully the narcissistic and vindictive behaviour of this president will prompt future US electorates to be very careful of what it wishes for and in the process sustain the greater civilised world. – Yours, etc, MICHAEL GANNON, Kilkenny. A picture paints 1,000 words Sir, – The photograph of the rescue from rubble near Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip yesterday (Irish Times, June 10th) after the Israeli strike reduced me to tears. Look at the little girl in the man's arms up close. Shame on all of us who allow this to happen. Shame on so - called ''humanity'. I try mostly not to look to stop the upset, the rage building more and more against all of those who allow this to happen. Well done to all those who protest great and small. Thank you for highlighting this awful atrocity. Keep doing it please. I wonder will this little girl survive? – Yours, etc, GERALDINE MCGINLEY, Dunfanaghy, Co Donegal. Junior Cycle English test Sir, – The Irish National Organisation of Teachers of English (INOTE) has noted with dismay the inclusion of a question exclusively on short stories on last week's Junior Cycle English paper. Asking a question about 'how setting vitally influences character action' in short stories in a state exam is unwise and unfair. Narrowing the focus to short stories exclusively will have disadvantaged a significant number of students, something we absolutely reject as useful in a state exam. A much fairer question would have allowed students to discuss setting in a short story OR a novel. Every year INOTE has felt disappointed with some questions asked of our students in the JC English exam. Despite plenty of reasonable and fair questions, too often we have noted questions that are either much too narrow in focus or much too ambitious in scope for students, questions that are known in teaching circles as 'Gotcha!' questions. After a three-year journey in the classroom that values creativity, discussion and critical thinking, asking these types of questions is simply unfair on hardworking students desperate to showcase what they've learned. We sometimes wonder whether the SEC is aware of what 15 year old English students are capable of in such a highly time-pressured exam. We would urge the SEC to reduce the number of questions on the HL JC paper, embed more student choice and flexibility and also to be more realistic in their question design. Our students deserve the chance to shine. It is the least they deserve. – Yours etc, MIKEY MEALLY, INOTE chairman Co Laois.
The Journal
8 hours ago
- The Journal
Skin-care routine videos commonly show 'harmful' (and expensive) regiments for children
VIDEOS OF SKIN-CARE routines on social media are harmful and promote a 'high standard of beauty' to girls aged between 7 and 18 years old, a US study has found. On average, skin-care routine videos on social media show women and girls using six products at a time. Some videos included in the Northwestern University study showed content creators using up to 12 products at one time. According to researchers in the US this week, the use of a large amount of products can increase the risk of irritation as a result of the cosmetics using multiple active ingredients. It comes as Irish dermatologists have reported an increase in the number of products that girls are using on their skin, with one expert warning of the adverse effects that the use of multiple cosmetics can have on the skin's durability. Dr Caitríona Ryan, a consultant dermatologist and professor at University College Dublin, said this year that 'concerning trends' have been seen recently among children aged 9 and 12 years old. She said that the routines by Irish children can be complex and expensive, and are often unsuitable for young, developing skin. The US study said that, on average, the cost of skin-care regiments online was $168 (€147). Ryan said that, often, videos online are targeted towards people with ageing skin, using products that can be damaging to young skin. She added: 'Also, [girls are] adopting layering skin care. Sometimes up to ten steps, morning and evening. Things that they're being told are 'essential' and which aren't appropriate at all for young, developing skin.' High-risk behaviour One example in the study showed a content creator use ten products on their face within six minutes. Senior author Dr Tara Lagu, medical social sciences lecturer at the university, said there was a visible skin reaction on the woman's face in the video. Dr Molly Hales of Northwestern University said high-risk behaviour was witnessed in videos included in the American study. Only 26% of the videos collected by the researchers included some type of sunscreen. Advertisement She said high-risk behaviour also included 'using multiple active ingredients at the same time, such as hydroxy acids, as well as applying the same active ingredient, unknowingly, over and over again when that active ingredient was found in three, four, five different products'. Ryan said, in a video posted to Instagram this year , that commonly-found active ingredients can 'damage the skin barrier' for girls or cause frequent irritation or irritant contact dermatitis as they are often unsuitable for developing skin. 'The layering regiments can [also] congest the skin and start to cause acne cosmetica – acne caused by mechanically closing the pores and causing blockage of the pores,' she said. 'Unrealistic beauty expectations' Northwestern University's study concluded that the videos included in its report 'offer little-to-no benefit' to the children they are targeted at. Hales said that the videos are 'setting a very high standard' for girls. 'The pursuit of health has become a kind of virtue in our society but the idea of 'heath' is also very wrapped up in ideals of beauty, thinness and whiteness. This insidious thing about 'skin care' is that it claims to be about health,' she added. Lagu said the videos included in the study, which were collected through the creation of a TikTok account which reported itself to be a 13-year-old girl, 'really emphasised lighter, brighter skin'. She added: 'I think there also were real associations between the use of these regimens and consumerism'. Speaking this year, Ryan said what could be considered as an 'even more important' side effect of excessive skin-care routine videos online is that they create 'unrealistic beauty expectations' for children. The dermatologist said: 'Seeing filtered images on social media the whole time and trying to work towards this flawless, glass-like skin is very, very concerning. They can't accept any type of blemish or any minor, little skin concern. 'This is at a point that they're forming their self identity, so it can be very damaging in terms of confidence and body image overall. 'This is the start of a trajectory of skin care and looking after their skin, and it's something that we really have to look long and hard at,' she added. She recommended that parents purchase gentle cleaners for their children to use in the morning and evening, and recommended the use of a moisturising sunscreen. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Dublin Live
10 hours ago
- Dublin Live
Devastated Dublin mum fights for life-changing medicine to be approved for son
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A desperate mother has encouraged the State to quickly approve and fund life-changing medicine for her eight-year-old son who suffers from a life-changing and life-limiting rare form of muscular dystrophy. Archie Ennis, 8, from Tallaght, suffers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy and is in desperate need of medication to help his condition. His mother, Una Ennis, said that "time is muscle" and children like Archie could face dying in their 20s if medicine is not approved quickly. Archie was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in December 2024. The condition affects around 120 children in Ireland. Mrs Ennis described Archie as a "little character" who loves to play with his friends and "be with all the boys". He is aware his muscles get tired but he is a "determined" boy, who is now on steroids. (Image: Una Ennis) Mrs Ennis explained: "Archie was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy two weeks before Christmas. We had a feeling something was going on with Archie. We actually thought at the start that it was just dyspraxia. "I just thought he needed physio, but the physio wasn't helping, and she said, 'We'll go to the doctor'. [The doctor] said that Archie has Duchenne muscular dystrophy. It's a progressive muscle weakening condition which will cause his legs to become weaker and then his arms. "She said that most boys who would have Duchenne would end up in a wheelchair. To hear that and to see our perfect little boy, our whole world was just turned upside down in an instant." She went on to say that Archie's lungs will become weaker and his heart will become weaker. "Most boys in their early 20s can die from cardio myopathy, which causes the muscles in the heart to become a lot weaker," she said. (Image: Una Ennis) "As parents, you're just devastated and desperate to try and get him some help. They say it's a rare condition, but it's the most aggressive muscular dystrophy. "You hear all these stories of young boys passing away because they don't get medicine." In April, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended granting conditional marketing authorisation to the drug Duvyzat, also known as Givinostat, as a treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Last week, the European Commission granted conditional market authorisation for the product. However, Mrs Ennis now fears that it could take several years for Ireland and the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) to approve its use on the Irish market. She will hold a demonstration outside Leinster House on Wednesday afternoon before presenting to politicians in the AV Room from 2.30pm where she will tell them how urgent the medicine is. Mrs Ennis continued: "Every day that Archie doesn't have medicine, his muscles are dying. "If it's a year or two down the line [that the medicine is approved], I can't reverse that. I need the medicine as quick as possible, because time is muscle for Archie and all the boys with Duchenne." In addition to Givinostat, Archie will require gene therapy. A doctor in Los Angeles has said that they can give him this treatment. However, his parents have to fundraise €3.5m in order for him to travel to the US. Some €3.2m is required for the medicine, while the extra money is needed for the family to stay there for 12 weeks for the infusion. To date, over €800,000 has been raised. In the meantime, Mrs Ennis is begging the Government and the NCPE to approve Givinostat to help Archie. She is also urging Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill to attend the briefing in Leinster House on Wednesday. Fianna Fail Senator Teresa Costello has also urged the Minister to meet the affected parents. The Tallaght-based senator said she emailed the Givinostat manufacturer last week as soon as progress was made with the European approval, asking them to expedite the time the medicine would be available to Irish children. She added: "I will be watching the progress of this like a hawk because we just don't have two years to wait for this to be approved. Parents are in a really dire situation where every month there is a deterioration with their children." Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
